Motor-vehicle.



N0. 809,475. PATENTED JAN. 9, 19.06. T. L. 6; T. J. STURTEVANT.

MOTOR VEHIGLE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

. PATENTED JAN. 9, 1906. T. L. & T. J. STURTEVANT.

MOTOR VEHICLE. APPLICATION rmzn JUNE 6. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THOMAS LEGGETT STURTEVANT, OF

STURTEVANT, OF WELLESLEY,

QUINCY, AND THOMAS JOSEPH MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO STURTEVANT MILLOOMPAN Y, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, A CORPO- RATION OF MAINE.

MOTOR-VEHICLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1906.

Application filed June 6,1905. Serial No. 263,937.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, THOMAS Lneen'r'r STURTEVANT, residing at Quincy,and THoMAs J OSEPH S'IU'RTEVANT, residing at Wellesley, in the county ofNorfolk and State of Massachusetts, citizens of the United States, haveinvented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements inMotor-Vehicles, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements on the motor-vehicleconstruction covered by our Patent No. 778,810, granted December 27,1904.

The present invention has for its object to provide such a relativearrangement of the engine-frame and the chassis-frame as will enable thelatter to better resist the shocks of the engine, so that the tendencyto twist the side beams of the chassis-frame will be reduced to aminimum, as also to locate the engine-frame on a somewhat higher levelthan in our former construction, so that a greater clearance from theground will be afforded, therebylessening the danger to the drivingmechanism from road obstructions, while at the same time providing suchan arrangement of the driving mechanism as will enable the power of theengine to be transmitted to the driving-wheels of the vehicle with theleast possible loss, as also to combine the features just mentioned withsimplicity of construction, so that the fewest possible parts will berequired, While at the same time the driving mechanism of the vehiclewill be securely inclosed and housed against exposure to dust.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View of anautomobile-chassis embodying the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a sideview of the same. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the chassis-frame on line3 3 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view showing thetransmitting mechanism, which is inclosed within the clutch and gearcasing.

Referring to the drawings, 12 denotes the side bars or side beams of thechassis or running-gear frame of the vehicle, the said side beams beingdoubleflanged or of angular form or inverted-L-shape in cross-section,as more clearly shown in Fig. 3. The frame of the opposed cylindergas-engine forms a rigid transverse part of the chassis or vehicle frameand comprises a crank-casing l3 and the cylinders or cylinder-casings14, the latter being secured to the said crank-casing by bolts 15- andattached to the side beams 12 by bolts 16, so that the engine-frame ishung crosswise of the chassis. In this improved construction theengine-frame is hung, preferably, from the upper flanges of the sidebeams of the chassis and between'the front and rear axles of the vehiclein such a manner that the axes of the cylinders are approximatelyopposite the vertical centers of the depending flanges of the sidebeams, against which the ends of the cylinders are preferably abutted.This construction affords a better resistance by the chassis-frame tothe shocks of the engine than in the construction shown by our Patent N0. 778,810, in which the engine-frame was hung from lower flanges on theside beams. In this improved construction the tendency of the shocks orstresses of the engine to twist the side beams is reduced to a minimumand the engine is placed on a higher level than in our formerconstruction, so as to aflord a greater clearance from the ground and abetter protection of the driving mechanism from road obstructions. Inthis improved construction we have, however, retained the feature ofaccessibility to the inlet and exhaust valves 17 of the engine and whichvalves are located below the side beams of the chassis-frame, so thatthey may be removed horizontally when required without inconvenience.The sparking-plugs 18 are also conveniently accessible, in that they arein the construction herein shown inserted in the tops of the cylinderportions of the engine-frame through holes bored in the horizontalflanges of the side beams; but, if desired, they may be inserted throughholes bored in the side or vertical flanges in the side beams, as willbe understood. In this improved construction the vehicle driving-shaft19-is located within theclutch and gear casing 20 in line with theengine crankshaft 21, and the centrifugal clutch device 22 (which is inprinciple the same as the centrifugal clutch device covered by ourPatent No. 766,551, granted August 2, 1904, and which comprisesfriction-disks 22, weights 30, and springs 31) is inclosed within thefly-wheel 23, the latter being in the present instance housed within theclutch and gearing casing 20, bolted (see Fig. 1) to the crank-casing13, so as to be supported at one end by said crankcasing forming part ofthe engine-frame, said clutch and gearing casing being in longitudinalalinement with the said crank-casing and said clutch and gearing casingbeing preferably removable from the chassis-frame independently of saidengine-frame. The driving-shaft 19 is connected with the working shaft24 by variable-speed gears operated from the automatic centrifugalclutch and gearing device in the manner set forth in our said Patent No.766,551, although-the present construction comprises gearing whichaffords three speeds instead of the two-speed gearing mechanism of theparticular construction shown in said patent. The gearing mechanismwithin the clutch and gearing casing comprises suitable reversing-gears,and the said casing will preferably, also, inclose a suitable pneumaticor fluid pressure brake. (Not shown.)

In order that power may be transmitted to the cardon-shaft 25 in asdirect a manner as possible, so as that said cardon-shaft may be locatedin a practically straight line with the shaft from which it receives itspower, the power-transmitting or working shaft 24 is located below thedriving-shaft l9 and is practically in line with the said cardon-shaft25, which latter has a suitable jointed connection at 26 with the saiddriving-shaft 24, as will be understood from Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The chassis -frame, besides being braced transversely by the engineframe, is also braced and stiffened by the cross-beam or cross-bar 27,which is bolted at its ends to the side beams 12 and which cross-barserves to support one end of the clutch and gearing casing, the latterhaving a projection 28 seated in said cross-bar or in a suitable hangerthereon or suspended therefrom.

The clutch and gearing casing 20 is preferably made oil-tight, so thatthe clutch and gearing mechanisms housed therein may run in oil and alsodirt and dust will be entirely excluded from said mechanisms and oilwill not be dropped on the road or pavements. The two halves of thecasing are preferably provided at their contiguous parts withlongitudinal stiffening or strengthening flanges 29, through which boltsto hold the two parts of the casing together will pass. From theconstruction shown and hereinbefore described it will be seen that themotor or engine is secured to the chassis-frame independently of thechange-gear casing 20, and the said motor or engine will remain inposition if the said change-gear casing be removed.

Although we have herein shown amulticylinder engine, it will beunderstood that a twocylinder engine may be used, if desired, and othervariations from the details herein shown may be made without departingfrom our invention, and it will also be understood that some features ofour invention may be used independently of others.

Having thus described our invention, we claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent 1. In amotor-vehicle, the combination with avehicle-frame comprising side beams, of an opposed cylinder engine framearranged crosswise of said vehicle-frame and forming a rigid transversepart of said vehicle-frame, said engine-frame being disposed between thefront and rear axles of the vehicle and with the cylinder portions ofsaid engine-frame inside of or between the outside parts of said sidebeams and approximately central, vertically, of the said side beams.

2. In a motor-vehicle, the combination with a vehicle-frame comprisingside beams, of an opposed cylinder engine frame arranged crosswise ofsaid vehicle-frame between the front and rear axles of the vehicle andwith the cylinder portions of said engine-frame approximately central,vertically, of the said side beams, and with the horizontal inlet andexhaust valves of the engine located below the said side beams.

3. In a motor-vehicle, the combination with a vehicle-frame comprisingside beams, of an opposed cylinder engine frame arranged crosswise ofsaid vehicle-frame between the front and rear axles of the vehicle andwith the cylinder portions of said engine-frame approximately central,vertically, of the said side beams,and having sparking plugs mounted onthe upper portions of the cylinders of the engine-frame.

4. In a motor-vehicle, a chassis or vehicle frame comprising side beams,combined with an opposed-cylinder engine-frame forminga rigid transversepart of said vehicle-frame and supported by said side beams and betweenthe outside parts of the latter, with the axes of the cylinder portionsof the engine-frame between the lines of the upper and lower parts ofsaid side beams.

5. In a motor-vehicle, a chassis or vehicle frame comprising side beams,combined with an opposed-cylinder engine-frame forming a rigidtransverse part of said vehiole-frame and arranged crosswise the chassisand supported by and within the outer faces or parts of said side beams,with the axes of the cylinder portions of the engine-frame between thelines of the upper and lower parts of said side beams, saidengine-frames supporting horizontal inlet and exhaust valves which aredisposed below the lower lines of the said side beams.

6. In a motor-vehicle, a chassis or vehicle frame comprising side beams,combined with an opposed-cylinder engine-frame forming a rigidtransverse part of the vehicle-frame and arranged crosswise the chassisand connected with said side beams, with the axes of the cylinderportions of the engine-frame between the lines of the upper and lowerparts of said side beams, and sparking plugs mounted on the upperportions of the engine-cylinders.

7. In a motor-vehicle, the combination with a chassis or vehicle frame,of a horizontal, opposed-cylinder explosion engine or motor supported bysaid chassis or frame and arranged crosswise of the latter with itscylinder portions laterally between the outer faces or parts of the sidebeams of said frame, so that the said side beams can assist in resistingthe shock of the explosions of thesaid engine or motor, and with theinlet and exhaust valves of the said engine or motor below the said sidebeams.

8. In a motor-vehicle, the combination with a chassis or vehicle frame,of a horizontal, opposed-cylinder explosion engine or motor supported bysaid chassis or frame and arranged crosswise of the latter with itscylinder portions laterally between the outer faces or parts of the sidebeams of said frame, so that the said side beams can assist in resistingthe shock of the explosions of the said engine or motor, and with thesparking plugs of the said engine or motor mounted upon the upper partsof the said cylinders.

9. In a motor-vehicle, the combination with a chassis or vehicle frame,of a horizontal, opposed-cylinder explosion engine or motor supported bysaid chassis or frame and arranged crosswise of the latter withitscylinder portions laterally between the outer faces or parts of theside beams of said frame, so that the said side beams can assist inresisting the shock of the explosions of the said engine or motor, andwith the inlet and exhaust valves of the said engine or motor below thesaid side beams, and also with the sparking plugs of the said engine ormotor mounted upon the upper parts of the said cylinders.

10. In a motor-vehicle, the combination with a chassis or vehicle framecomprising two angular-flanged side beams of inverted-L shape incross-section, of an opposed-cylinder explosion engine or motor arrangedcrosswise of the said frame and hungfrom the upper flanges of the saidside beams and having the axes of its cylinders between the lines of theupper and lower parts of the said side beams, so that the latter areadapted to resist shocks of explosions of the said engine or motor witha minimum tendency to twist the said side beams.

11. In a motor-vehicle, the combination with a chassis or vehicle framecomprising two angular-flanged side beams of inverted- Lshape incross-section, of an opposed-cylinder explosion engine or motor arrangedcrosswise of the said frame and hung from the upper flanges of the saidside beams and having the axes of its cylinders between the lines of theupper and lower parts of the said side beams, so that the latter areadapted to resist shocks of explosions of the said engine or motor witha minimum tendency to twist the said side beams, the inlet and exhaustvalves of the said engine or motor being below the said side beams andthe sparking plugs of the said engine or motor being mounted upon theupper portions of said cylinders.

12. In a motor-vehicle, the combination with a chassis or vehicle frame,of an explosion engine or motor supported on said frame crosswise of thelatter, with its cylinder portions between the upper and lower lines ofthe said side beams, a clutch and gearing casing rearward of theengine-frame, a drivingshaft in said clutch and gearing casing in linewith the engine-shaft, a working shaft in said clutch and gearing casingbelow the said driving-shaft and geared thereto, and a powertransmittingshaft connected with said working-shaft and approximately in line withthe latter.

13. In a motor vehicle, the combination with a chassis or vehicle frame,of an engine or motor frame, a gear-casing rigid with and partlysupported by said motor-frame, a driving or power shaft connected withthe engine or motor, a power-transmitting or working shaft below andgeared to the said powershaft and having its bearings in said casing,and through which latter shaft power is communicated to thedriving-wheels of the vehicle.

14. In a motorvehicle, the combination with a chassisor vehicle frame,of an engine or motor frame, a gear-casing rigid with and partlysupported by said motor-frame, a driving or power shaft connected withthe engine or motor, a power-transmitting or working shaft below andgeared to the said powershaft and through which latter shaft power iscommunicated to the driving-wheels of the vehicle, and an automaticclutch within said casing.

15. In a motor vehicle, the combination with a chassis or vehicle frame,of an engine or motor frame, a gear-casing rigid with and partlysupported by said motor-frame, a driving or power shaft connected withthe engine or motor, a power-transmitting or working shaft below andgeared to the said powershaft and through which latter shaft power iscommunicated to the driving-wheels of the vehicle, an automatic clutchand a fly-wheel both within said casing.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

THOMAS LEGGETT STURTEVANT. THOMAS JOSEPH STURTEVANT. Witnesses:

EDNA M. HILTON, L. H. STURTEVANT.

IIO

